Silverstream's Star
by Cattiechaos
Summary: Ever wonder how Silverstream in StarClan felt when Bluestar told her that her daughter would have to die? [Spoilers for Moonrise]


A silver cat paced through a dark clearing, the light of a star shining on her sleek pelt, illuminating its glossy sheen. Her eyes glowed with hope as she took her place among the other heavenly cats, solemn and still; StarClan cats, gathered around the bottom of a rocky hollow. The pool rippled at the end of the hollow rippled, as if disturbed then stilled.

A large blue-gray she-cat with penetrating icy blue eyes stepped forward into the light, looking grave. The silver she-cat felt a ripple of apprehension go through her. The blue-gray cat then spoke. "Cats of StarClan, I come to you with grave news. Feathertail will not come home to the Clans. I am going now to take her. She will die as the will of the Tribe of Rushing Water. They're prophecy—" she was interrupted by loud caterwauling and murmurings, and the silver cat leapt to her paws, horrified.

"The prophecy of the Tribe of Rushing Water will be fulfilled!" the blue gray cat finished, raising her voice to a yowl. A handsome bracken colored tom stepped forward from the opposite end of the pool, his eyes serious as he meowed: "And what about the prophecy from StarClan? You forget, Bluestar, that I chose her from RiverClan to fulfill it!"

The cat called Bluestar shook her head, meowing: "Her mission was to hear Midnight's message. Her prophecy has been fulfilled, Oakheart. Feathertail is the silver cat the Tribe of Rushing Water needs."

Oakheart bowed his head and stepped back, but the silver she-cat could not stay still any longer.

"Bluestar," she meowed, leaping to her paws, "I cannot allow this! Feathertail deserves to live. She has fulfilled the prophecy of StarClan, why must she die fulfilling the one of the Tribe?"

A dark black tom with a twisted paw stepped forward, limping. "We should honor the Tribe of Rushing Water," he growled, "Besides, Bluestar is right. Feathertail is needed by the Tribe."

"How could you think of taking her?" Silverstream whispered, crouching low, "you know how Graystripe suffered when you took me from him. What about Stormfur…and Crowpaw?"

The tom with the twisted paw growled. "Silverstream," he meowed, addressing the silver she-cat, " you know that Crowpaw and Feathertail could never be together. It would be better if we took Feathertail now. Crowpaw would hurt less. Besides, do you want your own daughter to end up as you did?"

Silverstream looked down at her paws, and Bluestar stepped forwards once more, her dark blue eyes gentle. "Silverstream, if you loved her—"

"I do love her!" the silver she-cat snapped, her fur bristling.

"—You would let me take her," Bluestar finished.

Silverstream's ears drooped and she sighed. When she spoke again, her voice was hoarse with pain. "Bluestar, you are right. Feathertail must fulfill the Tribe's prophecy. But I will take her home myself."

Bluestar purred, her eyes glimmering as she meowed: "As you wish it, Silverstream."

She touched her nose to the silvery she-cat, who glimmered…and faded away into the night.

Silverstream was a ghostly shadow as she paced before the waterfall, watching with pain in her eyes as she saw Feathertail's spirit leave her.

"Oh, Feathertail," Silverstream whimpered, turning her head away.

Suddenly, Stormfur looked up straight at her, eyes pained and accusing. The whimpering of Crowpaw distracted him long enough for her to slip away, her eyes glowing with pain—for Graystripe, who was about to lose his daughter, for Crowpaw, who had loved Feathertail, to Stormfur, who had to live without his sister, and for herself, Feathertail's own mother.

A ghostly double of Feathertail, pelt glimmering with Starclan's sheen, eyes glowing with wisdom, slipped from Feathertail's silver gray body to join her mother behind the falls.

Feathertail's bright blue eyes knew everything now, wisdom alighting her spirit. But that didn't make it easier to accept.

"Silverstream," Feathertail meowed, "Why?" her simple plea tore at her mother's heart, and Silverstream turned away, gesturing with her tail. She led them to back to the Clan cats, horrified and grieved.

Silverstream stepped to her son, whispering in his ear: "My son, do not grieve for Feathertail. I will take care of her."

"No, Silverstream," Stormfur replied, pain etching his face, "we took care of her!"

Silverstream closed her eyes and shook her head sadly.

Feathertail had been talking to Crowpaw. "Crowpaw," she whispered, her flank just brushing his. "Crowpaw, now I can always be with you. Through the darkest hour, the stormiest path."

Crowpaw's eyes widened and his head whipped around, eyes searching. "Feathertail?" he whispered.

"You cannot see me, Crowpaw," Feathertail continued, "But I will always be with you. I will fight with you and hunt with you, my spirit will never leave yours."

"Feathertail, where are you?" the tom meowed, trembling.

Feathertail nuzzled him one last time before fading away into a shadow, beside her mother, behind the falls.

"I have not forgot you, my brother," Feathertail murmured, "May StarClan light your way, wherever the stars may take you."

There was one more star in Silverpelt that night, glittering down with love and hope, clear for all cats to see.


End file.
